Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Remarks

The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.

"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.

However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.

Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.

Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.

"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."

Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.

The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.

Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.

A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.

This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.

Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.

"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

But, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.